Show day: Tacoma - Dome

12 April 2001

Show day: Tacoma - Dome

This is a very weird building. At least it's a very weird building to put a rock show into, as its too big to be an arena, but too small to be a stadium. The seating layout is strange as there are vast empty areas either side of the stage, which makes it all a bit agoraphobic after the comparative intimacy of regular arenas. Nothing looks quite right and acoustically too it is famously awful, right up there with the Tokyo Dome, so we knew today we'd have our work cut out for us.

In truth, it was a lot of work, but it was worth it in the end as we felt we came away having produced a great result against all odds - particularly sonically, as it wound up sounding great which was something of a triumph in itself. Then again the audience was so up for it that they pretty much carried us through any potential lumpy bits.

One unexpected bonus for me was that the ceiling is vast, smooth & white (rather domelike, in fact) so I was able to take advantage of this as a projection surface. The 'PiGi' projectors which usually cast their textures and images onto the audience took full advantage of their new play space, which gave us a one-night IMAX vibe.

After the show we headed back to the hotel in Seattle and for tobacco related reasons ended up having a party in the corridor of the second floor. It started with just one or two renegade smokers slipping away from the group, then a few more folks went along just to hang out and before the night was over everybody was sitting on the floor up and down the corridor - drinks trolleys and mini bars being wheeled out of rooms, cushions and blankets being fetched.

Such is the giddy world of rock & roll. Seattle, one of the most happening night life cities in the world - U2 come to town and have a party in a hotel corridor...